Means of forming joints in electrical conductors.



No. 880,789. PATENTED MAR. 8, 1908.

- H. G. GILLMOR.

MEANS OE FORMING JOINTS IN ELECTRICAL CON DUGTGES APPLICATION FILED PEBJi. 1907.

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HORATIO G. GILLMOR, OF BATH, MAINE.

MEANS OF FORMING JOINTS IN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1968.

Application filed February 4, 1907- Serial No. 355598 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, llORATlO G. G'ILLMOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bath, in the county of Sagadahoqfitate of Maine, have invented an Improvement in the Means of Forming Joints in Electrical Conductors, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

My invention relates to joints in electrical conductors and has particular reference to joints in rails employed as electrical conductors although the means em loyed are not limited to joints in such rai s but may be used in any connection in which they may be found applicable.

One object of my invention is to provide at the joints in electrical conductors a conductivity as nearly as possible equal to the conductivity of the unjointed portions of such conductors.

Another object of the invention is to so construct such joints that the conductors may be free to the changes in length incident to changes in temperature without effect upon the conductivlt'y of the joint.

Further objects of the invention will hereinaiter appear and to these ends the invention consists of a joint for carrying out the above objects, embodying the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts having the general mode of operation substantially as hereinafter described and claimed in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation illustrating a form of the joint. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the parts at the plane indicated by V V in Fig. 1. FigsLb and 4 are, respectively, a vertical section through the parts and a horizontal section at the lane Z Z, looking down, of the joint appliei to-conductors of another form. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the self-locking wedge employed.

Similar letters refer to similar throughout the several views.

A A are the conductors to be joined.

B B are bars or plates overlapping the conductors at their sides.

C is a clamp body or chair.

D D are locking wedges having double wedging surfaces and are arranged to interlock at E with the chair or clamp body C when the wedges are driven to their final position, so as to preventmovement of the wedge D in relation to the chair or clamp 0,

parts and having stops F which will come into con tact-with the end of the chair or clamp body C when the wedge is driven to prevent the wedge from being driven too far.

G G are pins or rods traversing the bars or plates B and one of the conductors.

H H are spikes or screws used for securing the conductors to their supports T. K are bars or plates overlap ing the bottoms of the conductors, extent in for, some distance beyond the ends of the clamp body or chair and arranged to interlock with the clamp body or chair as shown.

The surfaces or contact I of the bars or the plates B and K and the wedges D with the conductors are provided with a solid adherent coating of a metal such as zinc, tin, etc.; which, while possessing relatively high electrical conductivity, also withstand the corrosive action of the elements.

To make up the joint the conductors to be joined are placed in line on the bar or plate K and the bars or platesB placed at each side. The pins G, traversing the bars and one conductor, are laced, to prevent longitudinal movement 0 the parts with res ect to one conductor. The clamp body or 0 air is then placed in position and the wedges D driven between the arms of the clamp body or chair and the other parts of the joint. The wedges are referably formed with double wedg'ing surlaces; and, through the action of one set of the wedging surfaces, lateral ressure is brought to bear upon the arts of t e joint; while the wedging action 0 the other wedging surfaces.

exerts vertical pressure upon the parts of the join t. The elasticity of the clamp arms is sufiicient to allow the arm of the clamp to spring as the wedge is being driven to permit the interlocking surfaces of the clamp and wedge to pass one another and the interlocking of the clam 3 and wedge is eiiected automatically by the elasticity o? the clamp causing the clamp arm to spring back and so interlock the surfaces of th wedge and clamp arm at E.

The bars overlapping'the meeting conductors have surfaces in contact with the con ductors, the aggregate area of which is several times that of a right section of either conductor. The pressure exerted by the wedges upon the parts of the joint bring these surfacesinto intimate con act with the conductors. The metallic coatings u on the surfaces of parts in contact with tie con ductors insure good conditions as to conductivity at all points of contact of the joint parts with the conductors, The surfaces of those portions of the endsjof the conductors coming in contact with the parts of the o nt should be freed as far as ossible from oxid, scale, etc. so that when t e joint is made up good metallicsurfaces will be presented-for contact. Even though, however, the sur' faces of contact of the conductors with the f parts of the joint are not entirely free from oxid, etc, the large area of the surfaces of' contact of the conductors with the parts of the joint and the pressure exerted tobrmg into intimate contact the conductors and the parts going to make up the joint will insure ow electrical resistance at the joint; and it is found that, when rails are employed as elec trical conductors, the use of a metallic coat ing applied. to the contact surfaces of the bars and other parts of the joint necessary to provide adequate mechanical strength as above described makes the strength member of the joint in conjunction with this metallic coat ng, a bond; and provides for ample conductivityat the joint.

.LI] coating the parts of the j oint' it will often be conveinent to cover all of the exterior sur' faces ofsome of the parts instead of coating oni those surfaces which come in contact the conductors. The pins traversing one conductor and parts of the joint and the interlocking of the wedges and. the clamp effe ly secure the parts of the 'joint again st longitudinal movement with respect to this one conductor. The other conductor is held by the parts of the joint through the clamping action exerted upon them, and longitudinal changes of position of this conductor with respect to the parts of the joint are resistecl only by the friction. of the surfaces of contact. This conductor is therefore free to the sli ht changes in len t-h occasioncd. by changes in temperature while the area of the surfaces'of contact and hence the electrical conductivity through these surfaces remains practically constant. The joint constructedin the manner described provides for the changes in relative positions of the parts incident to varying temperature without detrimental effect upon the con ductivity at the joint.

Obviously this invention may be embodied in widely varying forms, therefore,

' Vllithout limiting the invention to the con struction shown and described, nor enumerating equivalents, 1 claim aml desire to secure by Letters latent the, following:

1. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof,

including, a chair having upwardly extending arms, and a wedge constructed with two wedging surfaces whereby pressure is exerted both transversely and vertically upon the parts of the joint, substantially as described.

2. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint forthe adjacent ends thereof,

t3 seop'se .including a part composed partly of rust proof materi over-lapping the meeting ends of the conductors, a chair having upwardly extending arms and a Wedge constructed with double Wedging surfaces whereby pressure is exerted-in two directions approximately at right angles upon the parts of the joint, substantially as described.

3.. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof, including, apart composed partly of corrosioh-proof material over lappmg" the meeting ends of the conductors, a chair having 'up wardly extending arms, a wedge constructed with two wcdging surfaces whereby pressure is exerted upwardly and inwardly upon the arts of the joint,-and fastening means whereliy the joint is secured against movement 'with respect to one of the said conductors,

substantially as described.

4. The combination of electrical condu ctors,

and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof,

material between said chair and said conductors, and a wedge having two wedging surfaces, whereby an inward and upward pressure is exerted upon the parts of the joint, substantially as described.

6. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof,

including a chair having upwardly-extending arms, bars overlapping the ends of said conductors, and wedges between the arms of the chair and said bars substantially as described.

7. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof,

arms, bars composed material overlapping t ductors, and wedges between the arms of the chair and said bars, substantially as described. 8. The combination of electrical conductors partly of rust-proof e ends of said conincluding a chair having upwardly-extending and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof,

including a chair having upwardly-extending arms, bars overlapping the ends of said conductors, wedges between said arms and bars, and fastening means to hold the joint in place, substantially as described.

9. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof,

including bars composed partly of rust-proof material, a chair having upwardly-extending arms, wedges between said arms and bars, and fastening means to hold the joint in place,

substantially as described.

1.9. The combination of electrical con ecu, 1 or:

duotors, and a joint for'the adjacent ends thereof, including a chair having upwardly extending arms, plates overlapping the ends of said conductors, and wedges between a plate and an arm of said chair at opposite 1 sides of the conductors, substantially as described.

11. The combination of electrical conductors, and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof, including a chair having upwardly extending arms, plates composed said conductors, and wedges at opposite sides of the conductors between an arm of the chair and plate, substantially as described.

12. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof, including a chair having upwardly extending arms, bars between the said chair and said conductors, a wedge driven in' between an arm of the said chair and one of said bars, and fastening means to hold the joint in place, substantially as described.

1 3. Ajoint for electrical conductors including, in combination with the conductor bars composed partly of rust-proof material, a chair having upwardly extending arms, a wedge between an arm ofthe chair and one of said bars, and fastening means whereby the joint is secured against movement with respect to one of the said conductors, substantially as described.

14. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof, including a chair having upwardly extending arms overturned inwardly at their upper edges, plates overlapping the ends ot said conductors, and wedges having two wedging surfaces whereby an' upward pressure is exerted upon one of said plates and an partly of rust-proof material overlapping the ends of thereof,including a chair having upwardly extending arms overturned inwardly at their upper edges, plates composed partly of corrosion-proof material overlapping said 0on ductors. and wedges having two'wedging sur- 'laccs whereb y an upward pressure is exerted uponone of said plates and aninward pressure exerted upon plates at opposite sides of said conductors, substantially as described.

16. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof, including a chair having upwardlyextending arms, bars between said arms and said conductors, a plate between said chair and said conductors, wedges between said arms and said bars, and fastening means to hold the joint in place, substantially as described.

17. The combination of electrical conductors and a joint for the adjacent ends thereof, including a chair having upwardlyextending arms, bars, composed partly of rust-proof material, between said arms and said. conductors, a plate between said chair and said conductors, wedges between said arms and said bars, said chairs, bars, plate and wedges m 'erlapping the adjacent ends of said conductors, and pins passing through said bars and one of said conductors, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed these specifications in the presence of two subscribing witncsses. I

i H. G. GTLTMOR. Witnesses:

H. H. BONNEMORT, H. E; NILLI'AMS 

